Safety ladder for water use

ABSTRACT

A safety ladder for use in water in combination with a pile extending above the surface of the water and a floating structure. The floating structure includes means for encircling the pile to be thereby limited in lateral movement. At least one of the side rails is secured to the floating structure and at least one of the side rails is secured to the pile encircling means.

' 0 United States Patent 1 1 3,559,762

[72] Inventor Kenneth L. Thompson [56] References Cited Huntington BeachCanada UNITED STATES PATENTS P 861,328 2.981.363 4/l96l Ward l82/84 [221PM Sept-2611969 2 996 729 8/1961 Bailey 182/106 [451 Patented Feb-2119713'203'574 8/1965 Bodle 182/129 1 Ye Dock Master Inc. y Assgnee A3,390,740 7/1968 Brande] 182/93 3,480,107 11/1969 GOOdhLle 182/115Primary ExaminerReinaldo P Machado Anorney- Nilsson & Robbins [54]SAFETY LADDER WATER USE ABSTRACT: A safety ladder for use in water incombination 10 clalmssnrawmg Flgs' with a pile extending above thesurface of the water and a [52] US. Cl 182/93, floating structure. Thefloating structure includes means for l82/l 15, 182/129, 182/106encircling the pile to be thereby limited in lateral movement. [51 Int.Cl E06c 1/39 At least one of the side rails is secured to the floatingstructure [50] Field of Search 182/93, and at least one of the siderails is secured to the pile encirll5,84,129,l06

cling means.

SAFETY LADDER FOR WATER USE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The fields of art towhich the invention pertains include the fields of ladders and floatingstructures.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The increasing popularity ofboating as both sport and recreation has resulted in a proliferation ofmarina facilities. Modern marina construction techniques include theutilization of floating wharf structures to provide inexpensive yeteffective land access for boats. The present invention is concerned witha particular aspect of such construction, specifically in providingmeans for the boater to climb from his boat, or from the water, onto thefloating structure. Particularly this invention provides a ladder foruse in water which can be secured to a floating structure in such amanner that safety in use of the ladder is insured. The floatingstructures with which this invention is concerned are constructed so asto engage a pile extending above the surface of the water to be therebylimited in lateral movement, and the ladder is attached to the structurein close proximity to the pile. At least one of the side rails of theladder is secured to the floating structure and the same and/or oppositeside rail is secured to the pile encircling means. A forward portion ofat least one of the rails extends above the surface of the floatingstructure to constitute a handrail spaced from the surface and a returnportion extends rearwardly and downwardly from the handrail portion tothe point of securement to the pile encircling means.

In one form of the invention, the floating structure includes a floatingplatform and the pile encircling means comprise an annular memberdisposed around the pile and secured on one side to the platform. Withthis structure, one only of the rails is secured to the floatingplatform and the other of the rails is secured to the annular member. Inanother form of the invention, the pile encircling means is constitutedby a portion of floating platform which defines an opening therethroughfor the pile, and in this embodiment, both side rails of the ladder maybe secured to the platform. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 isa side elevation view of one form of ladder of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the ladder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of another form of ladder of thisinvention;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the ladder of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view on line 5-5 of FIG. 4, in thedirection of the arrows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a ladder, generallyindicated at 10, is shown which is designed for use with a floatingstructure, generally indicated at 12. In this particular illustration,the floating structure 12 includes a plurality of pontoons 14 supportingthe platform decking 16 which may be formed of concrete, wood, or otherstructurally appropriate material, and an annular retaining ring 18secured to the platform 16. As illustrated, the platform 16 has a facingtimber or stringer 20 secured to the outer edge of the platform 16 bybolts or other means (not shown). The annular ring 18 is secured on oneside thereof, at 22, by welding or other means to an angle iron, which,in turn, is secured to the facing 20 by means of bolts 26 therethrough.A pile 28 or piling extends above the surface of the body of water 30and the annular member 18 is disposed about the pile 28 as a pile ringand serves to limit lateral movement of the floating structure 12. Asshown in section, at 32, in FIG. 2, the pile ring 18 is of tubularstructure, in this case formed of l /z-inch galvanized pipe.

The ladder 10 consists of a relatively short side rail 34 (FIG. 2), arelatively long side rail 36 and a plurality of rungs 38 secured to andbetween the side rails 31 and 36. The short side rail 34 is secured atits upper end to the angle iron 24 by welding thereto, as indicated as40 in FIG. 2, or by other means (in the drawing, a portion of the upperend of the short rail 34 is cut away for a more detailed view of thepile ring 18 connection to the angle iron 24). The longer side rail 36is formed with an upper forward portion 42 thereof extending rearwardlyabove the surface of the platform 16 to constitute a handrail portion 44spaced from that surface, and is further formed with a return portion 46(FIG. 1) extending rearwardly and downwardly from the handrail portion44 to the pile ring 18 where it is secured to the pile ring by weldingas at 48, or by other means. Both side rails 34 and 36 are tubular instructure and formed in this case of l /z-inch galvanized pipe.

Referring now to the rungs 38, each is formed of 1 -inch by 10 -inch oakmembers 50 secured to angle irons 52 by means of Ar-inch brass bolts 54,and nuts 56, as shown. The oak members 50 are secured to the side rails34 and 36 as crosspieces, by welding of the angle irons 52 as at 58, orby other means, so as to constitute a ladder.

TI-le ladder structure described hereinabove is thus secured at twospaced locations along substantially the same horizontal plane and theparticular arrangement depicted imparts a high degree of rigidity to theladder. Added safety is obtained by the provision of the two-spacedpoints of attachment at locations on the floating structure immediatelyadjacent the pile 28, and this proximity to the pile 28 effects a highdegree of stability and reliability to the ladder 10 in that lateralmovements of the ladder are more highly restricted at that location thanat other locations. At other locations, particularly with a floatingstructure of modest size, lateral forces generated by one attempting tomount the ladder would tend to move the floating structure, makingmounting of the ladder difficult and hazardous.

FIGS. 1 and 2 depict a ladder constructed to extend outwardly from oneside of the platform. Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, another form ofthe invention is illustrated wherein a ladder 60 is constructed so thatboth sides thereof bear against the side of the floating structure 62.The floating structure 62 includes a platform and facing timbers 64, 66and 68 supported by one or more pontoons 70 on a body of water 72.

In this embodiment, the floating structure 52 includes an expanse ofwooden decking 74 (FIG. 5) which is formed so as to define an opening 76therethrough adjacent one edge and through which a pile 78 extends tothereby limit lateral movement of the floating structure 62.

A weld plate 80 is bolted to the decking surface 74 rearwardly of theopening 76 and angle irons 82 and 84 are bolted to the forward facingtimber 66. These components serve to secure the ladder 60 to thefloating structure 62. Specifically, the ladder 60 is constituted of asingle continuous tubular member of lVz-inch galvanized pipe bent toform opposed side rails 86 and 88 which are secured at intermediatepoints to the angle irons 82 and 84 by welding, as at 90 and 92, andwhich extend upwardly from the surface of the decking 74 to formhandrail portions 94 and 96. The tubular member is formed rearwardly anddownwardly from the handrail portions 94 and 96 around the pile 78 to agenerally U-shaped portion 98 and is secured at that portion 98 to theweld plate 80 by welding, as at 100, or by other means.

The forward portions of the tubular member constituting the side rails86 and 88 are interconnected by rungs 102 which are formed and securedin the manner described above with respect to the ladder 10 of FIGS. 1and 2. Tl-Ie ladder 60 depicted in FIGS. 3-5 is thus seen to be securedat several spaced points about the pile 78 so as to provide a ladderwhich is limited in lateral movement and which is strongly secured tothe floating structure.

Iclaim:

l. A ladder for use in water in combination with:

a pile extending above the surface of the water;

a floating structure including means for encircling said pile to limitlateral movement of said floating structure;

said ladder comprising side rails and a plurality of rungs;

at least one of said side rails being secured to said floatingstructure; and

extending above the surface of said floating structure to constitute ahandrail spaced from said surface, and a return portion extendingrearwardly and downwardly from said spaced handrail portion to thesecurement point of said pile encircling means.

4. The invention according to claim 1 in which said floating structureincludes a floating platform and said pile encircling means comprises anannular member disposed around said pile and secured on one side to saidplatform.

5. The invention according to claim 1 in which one only of said rails issecured to said floating structure and the other of said rails issecured to said pile encircling means.

6. The invention according to claim 1 in which;

said floating structure includes a floating platform;

said pile encircling means comprises an annular member disposed aroundsaid pile and secured on one side to said platform;

one only of said rails is secured to said platform; and

the other of said rails is secured to the other side of said annularmember.

7. The invention according to claim 6 in which said other rail includes:

a forward portion extending above the surface of said platform toconstitute a handrail spaced from said surface; and

a return portion extending rearwardly and downwardly from said spacedhandrail portion to the securing point on said annular member.

8. The invention according to claim 1 in which said floating structureincludes a floating platform and said pile encircling means isconstituted by a portion of said platform defining an openingtherethrough for said pile.

9. The invention according to claim 1 in which said side rails aredefined by opposed legs of a single continuous bent member.

10. The invention according to claim 1 in which both side rails aresecured to said floating structure and each includes:

a forward portion extending above the surface of said floating structureto constitute a handrail spaced from said surface; and

a return portion extending rearwardly and downwardly from said spacedhandrail portion to the securing point of said pile encircling means.

1. A ladder for use in water in combination with: a pile extending abovethe surface of the water; a floating structure including means forencircling said pile to limit lateral movement of said floatingstructure; said ladder comprising side rails and a plurality of rungs;at least one of said side rails being secured to said floatingstructure; and at least one of said side rails being secured to saidpile encircling means.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 in which atleast one of said rails includes a portion extending above the surfaceof said floating structure to constitute a handrail spaced from saidsurface.
 3. The invention according to claim 1 in which said rail fixedto said pile encircling means includes a forward portion extending abovethe surface of said floating structure to constitute a handrail spacedfrom said surface, and a return portion extending rearwardly anddownwardly from said spaced handrail portion to the securement point ofsaid pile encircling means.
 4. The invention according to claim 1 inwhich said floating structure includes a floating platform and said pileencircling means comprises an annular member disposed around said pileand secured on one side to said platform.
 5. The invention according toclaim 1 in which one only of said rails is secured to said floatingstructure and the other of said rails is secured to said pile encirclingmeans.
 6. The invention according to claim 1 in which; said floatingstructure includes a floating platform; said pile encircling meanscomprises an annular member disposed around said pile and secured on oneside to said platform; one only of said rails is secured to saidplatform; and the other of said rails is secured to the other side ofsaid annular member.
 7. The invention according to claim 6 in which saidother rail includes: a forward portion extending above the surface ofsaid platform to constitute a handrail spaced from said surface; and areturn portion extending rearwardly and downwardly from said spacedhandrail portion to the securing point on said annular member.
 8. Theinvention according to claim 1 in which said floating structure includesa floating platform and said pile encircling means is constituted by aportion of said platform defining an opening therethrough for said pile.9. The invention according to claim 1 in which said side rails aredefined by opposed legs of a single continuous bent member.
 10. Theinvention according to claim 1 in which both side rails are secured tosaid floating structure and each includes: a forward portion extendingabove the surface of said floating structure to constitute a handrailspaced from said surface; and a return portion extending rearwardly anddownwardly from said spaced handrail portion to the securing point ofsaid pile encircling means.